A Thai sex worker was found dead in a hotel as police hunt a wealthy Chinese official who had hired her for the night.

Escort Irada Potaram, 21, allegedly took drugs as she prepared to sleep with the Communist 'VIP', identified only as Duoying, 37, from Red China.

The slender young woman had removed her top before lying on the bed at the five star hotel in Bangkok, in the early hours of February 10.

Staff found Irada's half-naked body when they arrived to clean the room in the morning. They reported the discovery to local police, who found that Duoying had already fled the scene.

Police said a search has been launched for the missing Chinese official, who is believed to still be in Thailand.

Police Major General Noppasil Poonsawat, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said cash-strapped Irada had been hired by an alleged modelling agency to entertain and sleep with Duoying. The models were reportedly expected to take drugs with their clients.

He said: ‘We have gathered evidence and obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect on the charge of negligence causing the death of another person. We will also summon the owner of the modelling agency that provided the job to the victim for further questioning.

‘If we find any violations, they will be charged with procuring a person for prostitution. Moreover, we will examine the chat messages allegedly instructing the victim to consume drugs to determine if they constitute a criminal offence.'

Authorities said they have obtained CCTV footage from the hotel showing Duoying entering his room at 11:16 pm on February 9. Irada arrived hours later at 2:52 am on February 10. Duoying then emerged at 6:16 am, conspicuously without his female companion.

No one else had entered the room before maids found Irada's body.

Police said that no signs of injury or physical struggle were found on her corpse or in the room. Packs of 'happy water' - a potentially Letha cocktail of drugs including MDMA, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine, and tramadol - and ketamine were also found.

The Immigration Bureau has been alerted to block the Chinese suspect from leaving Thailand.

Irada's older sister Anyarat, 22, said the family was shocked to learn that she had been involved in sex work.

She said: 'We only knew that she had been employed full-time at a shipping company before she switched to part-time work. Last year, she had been asking us for money to pay for her dorm, but we didn't have any. That's probably why she accepted this job.

'I believe this is the first time my sister has done any kind of sex work. She was also with me in Roi Et province and she did not show any signs of addiction or drug use.'

Irada's mother Saowanee, 45, claimed an agent from the modelling agency had called offering up to 200,000 baht (4,700 GBP) in compensation to drop the case.

A man claiming to be a police officer then called urging them to accept 500,000 baht (11,800 GBP), which the family rejected.

Following the call, the family said they decided to go public with the case as the modelling agency appeared to have connections with the police. They feared the case would not be investigated fairly.

A grieving Saowanee said: 'The last time I saw my daughter alive was at the end of last year. Before returning to Bangkok, she hugged and kissed me and told me that she loved and missed me.

'At that time, I felt surprised because she usually doesn't show that kind of affection. She is closer to her father. But I didn't think that would be the last time we would see her. I still can't believe she is gone.'

(1 GBP = 42.46 THB)